City Wins Grant for Mobility

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City was selected to participate in the National League of Cities' (NLC) third Advancing Economic Mobility Rapid Grant program. Through this six-month initiative, Kansas City will receive a $20,000 grant and expert guidance to promote economic mobility in the city.

Kansas City is one of 12 municipalities from across the country competitively selected to participate in the initiative, supported by the Gates Foundation.

"As Kansas City prepares to welcome the world for FIFA World Cup 2026, we're committed to ensuring that every corner and zip code in our community benefits from this historic moment," said Mayor Lucas. "The Advancing Economic Mobility Rapid Grant to KC BizCare will help level the playing field for small businesses and entrepreneurs by providing essential business readiness training. When the world's eyes are on Kansas City, we want them to see a city where opportunity is truly accessible to all."

Through participation in the project, Kansas City plans to utilize the funds to educate and promote the regulatory processes of industries that will have the most significant impact on small businesses and entrepreneurs during World Cup 2026. These industries include outdoor dining, liquor licensing, short-term rentals, and the restaurant industry. KC BizCare will also use the grant to expand upcoming cross-departmental initiatives.

Participation in the program also has the potential to leverage additional funding for Kansas City to promote economic mobility efforts. Over the previous two years, NLC worked with 20 other municipalities, providing more than $350,000 in awards, coaching, and peer-learning opportunities. In addition to grant funding and expert coaching, a team from Kansas City will join representatives from the 23 other municipalities from the current and previous cohorts in a joint economic mobility conference in October 2025.

"I suggested staff to pursue this opportunity because economic mobility must be a reality for every Kansas Citian," said Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw. "This grant allows us to remove barriers for small businesses and entrepreneurs in a pivotal moment for our city. As we prepare for the global spotlight of World Cup 2026, we're making strategic investments that will position our communities to grow and thrive well beyond the tournament."

NLC selected the City of Kansas City for the Rapid Grant program to expand, test, and implement economic mobility. Through the lessons learned from this program, NLC can continue to advocate and expand economic mobility programming nationwide.

NLC's Advancing Economic Mobility Rapid Grant program will run through December 31, 2025.